Tickets Question

[Griff]

Right, two questions. I realise these will probably make me seem stupid so I apologise, I just want to make sure.

I ordered tickets from the NatEx website yesterday which arrived today. w00t!

I have to get off at King's Cross (obviously) and take the underground to Euston to begin the next leg of my journey. The route on the tickets say 'NXEC & Connections' obviously Connections mean London Midland but does it also mean that I can use these tickets on the underground? not to travel about on it for the fun of it, just to get to Euston and back.

Secondly, as advance singles they are booked on the trains I specified. It says on the reservation ticket which NatEx train I am supposed to be on, but on nothing does it say anything about the London Midland trains, so, being 'BookedTrainOnly' how will the London Midland conductor know that I am supposed to be travelling at that time?

[JamieLei]

I did a very similar trip from Cambridge to Birmingham via London last month

Your ticket is valid on the London Underground if the Routing has a Maltese Cross after where it says "NXEC and Connections". The ticket will then be accepted in London Underground barriers for entry and exit at the terminal stations only. This also includes Euston Square if you wish to get off there - however Euston and Kings Cross are so close together it's probably just as fast to walk it.

You can take _any_ London Midland train you like that connects with your NXEC service if there's no reservation. We took advantage of that to reduce the connection time in London. I highly doubt that you'll need to show your NXEC reservation to the LM guard if they should ask for it.

Hope that answers the question

[Kevo00]

As Jamei says, unless you have a lot to carry I wouldn't bother with the Underground for that, because the Underground is simply a hassle as well as taking time up, which is daft for such a short journey.

Exit Kings Cross station by the main exit (passing the tube on the right) then turn right along Euston Road. You'll cross a road, go past St Pancras station then the British Library, then an old fire station, then Euston is next set back a bit in the trees.

[Griff]

I did a very similar trip from Cambridge to Birmingham via London last month

Your ticket is valid on the London Underground if the Routing has a Maltese Cross after where it says "NXEC and Connections". The ticket will then be accepted in London Underground barriers for entry and exit at the terminal stations only. This also includes Euston Square if you wish to get off there - however Euston and Kings Cross are so close together it's probably just as fast to walk it.

I have a +NXEC & Connections thing, so the cross is before, not after. It still means I can use the Underground, I guess. It would be probably just as fast to walk it but since I love the underground so much...

You can take _any_ London Midland train you like that connects with your NXEC service if there's no reservation. We took advantage of that to reduce the connection time in London. I highly doubt that you'll need to show your NXEC reservation to the LM guard if they should ask for it.

Oh well, thats alright then. I'll have a printout of my journey anyway so that could act as proof just in case. I have a 30-40 minutes connection time and it only takes about 1 minute via underground so that is plenty of time to p*** about.

Hope that answers the question

Ta very much.

As Jamei says, unless you have a lot to carry I wouldn't bother with the Underground for that, because the Underground is simply a hassle as well as taking time up, which is daft for such a short journey.

Exit Kings Cross station by the main exit (passing the tube on the right) then turn right along Euston Road. You'll cross a road, go past St Pancras station then the British Library, then an old fire station, then Euston is next set back a bit in the trees.

I won't have any bags, so I suppose I could walk it. That time of the day the trains might be a bit busy what with people heading to work, so it depends whether I can be arsed to walk on the day, really..

[JamieLei]

I have a +NXEC & Connections thing, so the cross is before, not after. It still means I can use the Underground, I guess.

The Maltese Cross is a narrower cross that more resembles a crucifix - if it's on there then you can use the underground. I can't see for any reason why you wouldn't be able to use it since you have to transfer between London Termini.

Interestingly, Finsbury Park to Euston is also a valid transfer, despite the Victoria line going through Kings Cross! I had to deliberately mandate going through KX on the NXEC booking engine so it it would make out my ticket as going that far.